Leicestershire v Glamorgan at Grace Road, Leicester on 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th May 2010 scorers: G A York and A K Hignell

In the week that the historic Chelsea Flower Show was being staged, it seemed highly appropriate that the daffodil county should be blossoming at the top of the table after posting another comprehensive victory inside three days and all on a ca- pricious wicket that assisted the seam and swing bowlers. It was Leicestershire’s senior citizen Paul Nixon who prospered on the opening day, with the veteran - promoted to open because of injuries to the regular incumbents - drawing on his many years of experience and solid technique to anchor their innings, before falling ten short of a hard-earned century. His younger brethren struggled against the swinging ball, and it was Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald, with a maiden Championship hundred and a certain amount of good fortune, who gave the home side an element of respectability and nearly three batting points. After a typically breezy start, Glamorgan’s first innings soon went into freefall as their batsmen also struggled to cope with the lavish swing and seam, as well as a hint of variable bounce. After a high-quality spell of bowling from Matthew Hoggard, a mid-afternoon stand between Mark Wallace and the redoubtable James Harris whittled away at Leicestershire’s lead as Glamorgan ended 125 runs in arrears. Harris and David Harrison then scythed through the home batting, as four wickets fell in the space of twelve balls, adding to the procession of batsmen on a topsy-turvy day when seventeen wickets fell. The following morning – after an ECB Pitch Panel had been convened - the clatter of wickets continued as the last five wickets tumbled in the space of 8.4 overs as a demoralised Leicestershire side posted their low- est Championship total against Glamorgan since 1968 as well as the lowest total of the summer. After the regular fall of wickets, and the movement, both lateral and vertical, there were a few who thought that Glamorgan might struggle to reach 197 given their first innings demise. But Mark Cosgrove and Gareth Rees exorcised any demons adding 198 without any undue alarms to take Glamorgan to their fourth successive win, and in some style with 31 boundaries in the space of just 33 overs with Cosgrove racing to a 104-ball century as within 24 hours of being dismissed, the Welsh county were toasting their first win at Grace Road since 1986. The victory also saw Glamorgan enter the history books as no county had ever won a match by ten wickets after conceding a first innings deficit as large as 125 runs.